Ventilated wall and floor



Dec. 26, I950 M. MILLER 2,33 ,691

VENTILATED WALL AND FLOOR Filed Oct. 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 ./m. IIIIIIL f 8 3 u 4% lg Marl? M726? IIIIIIIILIIIIIIIP IILIlllllllLl III W W4W Atmrneys MILLER VENTILATED WALL AND FLOOR Filed 1946 2 shee,t s 2 &

MZ'ZZ lll'en Patented Dec. 26, 1950 VENTILATED WALL AND FLOOR Mark Miller, Jacksonville, Fla. I

Applicationflctober 11, 1946, Serial No. 702,805

This invention relates to a novel construction of molded blocks adapted for use in the construction of walls of concrete or similar material and has particular reference to a construction of building blocks to afford a ventilat on of the walls and a circulation of air through the floors of the building maintaining the wals in a dry condition so that paint or plaster will adhere thereto and to prevent rottng of roof timbers at their points of contact with the walls.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel building block which will facilitate the circulation of a r through the walls and floors of concrete or similar construction for tending to cool the building during the summer and for heating the building during the winter.

Various other objects and advantages of the invent on will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the, drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a bottom plan view of a building block constructed in accordance with the invention; I

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is alongitudinal sectional view showing the block disposed in abutting engagement with adjoining locks, shown in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section and showing the blocks in applied position and in conjunction with a modified construction of a floor, especially adapted for use therewith;

Figure 5 is an enarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the floor and wall as seen in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a slightly modified form of the building block, and

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 'I--1 of Figure 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 8 designates generally an improved construction of building block which may be formed of any suitable material such as concrete, tile or the like which includes corresponding side walls 9 connected at spaced intervals by transverse webs I which combine with said side walls to form openings I I which extend vertically through the block 8 when in its normal upright position, as seen in Figure 2. The bottom edges of the side wal s 9, intermediate of the webs H), are provided with notches I2 which are preferably ped and t e 3 951 3; 9 m

1 Claim. (01. 72-1) side walls 9 are beveled, as seen in I3 to combine with an abutting block 3, of corresponding con- 'struction, to form an additonal notch, corresponding to the notches I2 at each end of each of the blocks 8. Further, the side walls 5 protrude slightly beyond the outermost Webs Iii so that when the blocks 8 are arranged in courses with the ends of the side walls abutting, as illustrated in full and dotted lines of Figure 3, the adjacent webs ill of adjacent blocks 8 and the protruding ends of the side walls 9 will combne to form vertical passages I4 with which the notches formed by" the beveled edges I3 communicate.

Figure 4 illustrates a portion of a building wherein a foundation or footing member I5 is embedded in the ground to support a wa'l I6 forms a plural ty of courses of building blocks I1 and 8. The building blocks ll differ from the building blocks in that said blocks [1 are not provided with notches I2 or beveled surfaces l3 in the lower edges of the side walls thereof. The course of the building blocks 8 is disposed so that the bottom edges of the blocks 8 will be located intermediate of the upper and lower surface of each floor Iilwhich abuts against the 1 Wall I6 and which floors I8, only one of which is illustrated in Figure ,4, are likewiseformed pf concrete, tile or other similar material. The floor I8 is provided w'th conduits or passages extending therethrough and which may be formed by pipes I9 molded into the floor I 8, as seen in Figure 4, the ends of which project into the notches I2 so that the bores of the pipes I9 will be in communication with the passages formed by algned openings Id of the blocks 8 and I1. If preferred, the floor I8 may be molded with bores extending therethrough the open ends of which are in communication with the notches H! or the notches formed by the beveled edges I3 and also, if desired, said notches I2 and those formed by the beveled surfaces I3 may be of various shapes to conform to the size and shapes of the passages in the floor with which they communcate.

It will likewise be readily obvious that the wall formed by the blocks 8 and ii, as illustrated in Figure 4, may be either an inside or an outside wall of a build ng of which it forms a part, and if an inside wall, floor I8 will abut against the opposite side thereof and wi l be disposed so that pipes I9 or passages extending therethrough will communicate with the passages II by means of the notches I2 or the notches formed by the surfaces I3.

In addition to a course in the wall formed by blocks 8 located at the bottom edges thereof contiguous with each of the floors [3, the upper course of the wall and which is disposed beneath the roof 20 is also formed by blocks 3 and the notches thereof open either outwardly of the building or into the air chamber between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the roof 2!]. It will then be readily apparent that air will circulate freely through the passages in the floors I8, to and from the passages formed by the aligned openings of the blocks 8 and I! so that, under hot weather conditions, hot air can pass upwardly through the passages of the walls and from the passages in the floors, for cooling the building. Under cold weather conditions, the air chambers formed by the passages in the walls and floors will assist in insulating the, building, and the hot air passing outwardly through the floor passages and upwardly through the wall passages will tend to heat the floors and walls to: thus afford a supplemental; indirect heating system. The courses formed by the blocks 8 which constitute a part of the outer walls of; th building may have the, notches l2: and #3 on: the outer sides of the walls closed, if desired, but such notches are preferably left open in order to facilitate the cooling of the. building under hot weather conditions, Should the courses: of the walls formed by the blocks 8 pass over windows; or doors, the notches t2 and 13 may be elosed with mortar or cement so that; the air passing upwardly throu h the passages; in the blocks will be released therefrom only from the notches of the upper course of the blocks 8 and beneath and adjacent the roof 2B.

The notches. forming communicating passages to and from the openings or passages. I l: through the blocks 8 may obviously be made in various shapes, other than illustrated in Figures. 1 to 5, such as circular or substantially circular as indicated at 2L in Figures 6 and 7, wherein a slightly modified form of block, designated generally 8a, is illustrated. The blocks 8a differ from. the blocks 8 only in that they are provided with circular openings 2| in lieu of the notches I 2. In Figures 6 and 7 the openings 2t are shown covered with mesh wire fabric to prevent insects from passing therethrough and into the passages of the blocks or floors and it will be readily obvious that the notches of the blocks 8 could be similarly covered with wire fabric for the same purpose.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A building wall and floor construction comprising a wall formed of a plurality of courses ofblockseach course including a plurality of blocks each having extensions at each end of the inner and outer faces thereof, the extensions of the adjacent, blocks of the same course abutting, vertical passages formed in the wall by said extensions and end portions of the blocks, located between said extensions, certain of the abutting, complementary extensions. having beveled corners, lateral passages, formed by said beveled corners, communicating with, the vertical passages, a floor having an edge. overlapping and abutting two of the courses of; blocks, and air passages in the floor having ends opening. outwardly of said edge, and registering with said lateral passages.

MARK. MILLER,

REFERENCES CITED- Zhe following references are of record inthe file of this patent:-

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 346,734; Daniels Aug, 3, 1886 761,711 Redfern June 7,1904 762,193 Porten June. 7, 1904 769,257. Ewing Sept. 6,1904 848,917 McElligott et al, Apr. 2,1907

1,086,031 Davis,- Feb. 3,1914 1=,302,667 Jones s May 6,, 19:19 1,863,981 Groves June 21, 19.32 1,954,730 Erickson. Apr. 10, 1934 2,013,367 Thompson Sept. Ll, 1935 2,184,714 Freeman Dec. 26;, 1-939 

